How PRSSA Helped Me Secure My Major

Last year, I was in the news and information track of the journalism major. I came to Ohio University as a freshman thinking I wanted to be a reporter and write for a newspaper, but I realized that dream was not for me anymore. I have always been the kind of person who needs a plan, and I was lost in my career plan for the first time in my life.

I decided to switch over to the strategic communication track, hoping I could use my love for journalism to find another passion to turn into a career. In this decision, I also chose to join PRSSA and 1804 Communication in order to get more information and experience about the major I decided on. I was nervous, but knew I needed to go and learn about strategic communication in order to find a new career plan.

During my first PRSSA meeting this year, I nervously sat in the back of the room, wondering if I was going to like it. The first meeting featured two speakers from Fahlgren Mortine, and I fell in love with what they were saying. As they spoke, I physically felt their advice resonate with me. I could see myself doing what they do after graduating college. That was the first time I could really imagine myself doing something outside of school, and it felt like a puzzle piece of my life finally connected. I was so excited when I left that first meeting because I finally felt like I was making the right choices for my major and career.

I know that a lot of strategic communication majors come from news and information, which can be a difficult transition if you are not sure about what you want to do. So, my advice to any news and information majors who do not feel like they’re in the right place is to try PRSSA. Come listen to the speakers at the meetings and learn about possible careers within the major. Maybe you will have that same heart-fluttering, ecstatic feeling I had, and maybe you will find what you are supposed to do for the rest of your life like I did.

Hannah Schuller is a strategic communication major. Give her a shout out on Twitter @hannahschuller_.